ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The Oneonta women's basketball team fell to the University of Rochester, 55-43, in the first game of the Oneonta and Hartwick Classic at Hartwick College, Friday evening. After trailing by as many as 17 in the second half, the Red Dragons made it a one-point game with 4:50 remaining, however the Yellowjackets capped off the game with a late run to hold onto the win. Junior
Lidia Boucher (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central High School) finished with the team-high 15 points, shooting 7-for-11 from the field, and collected five rebounds, as Oneonta moved to 1-1 this season and Rochester improved to 2-1 overall.
The Yellowjackets held onto a 13-12 lead by the end the first quarter as both teams traded baskets during the first 10 minutes of play. Boucher recorded six points in the quarter for the Red Dragons, while sophomore
Megan Desrats (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) had four points and senior
Sophia Wakin (Delhi, NY/Delaware Academy) scored two. Rochester started the second quarter with an 11-2 stretch that was capped off by a three-point play by Tia Poulakidas for a 24-14 lead with 5:06 left in the half. Desrats scored a couple baskets inside the paint and junior
Emma Schwarzbeck (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill Senior High School) split a pair at the line to cut the Red Dragons deficit to six by halftime, 25-19.
Five different Yellowjackets scored for an 11-0 run to extend their lead to 36-19 with 3:07 to go in the third quarter. Oneonta began to chip away at the deficit with a 6-2 stretch and went into the fourth trailing 38-25.
The Red Dragons made it a one-point game, 41-42, with 4:50 to play on a 16-4 run. Boucher led the team during the stretch with nine points including a step back triple, Scwarzbeck had a three pointer herself and totaled five points, and senior
Amanda Zuntag (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) scored inside with a layup. Rochester pulled away and ended the game with a 13-2 run for the 55-43 final.
Desrats finished with eight points, five rebounds and four assists, while Schwarzbeck ended with eight points and six rebounds. Zuntag had the team-high nine rebounds with six points and two steals.
The Yellowjackets' Abby Gress recorded the game-high 21 points and 16 rebounds, Franki Gomez had 13 points and Bridget Miller totaled 10 points and nine rebounds.
Rochester shot 33.3 percent from the field and held a 45-35 rebounding advantage, while Oneonta shot 31.7 percent from the field.
The Red Dragons are back in action at Hartwick College tomorrow, November 16, as they face Hamilton at 3 pm on the final day of the Oneonta and Hartwick Classic.
